Welcome to the Tech & Telecom Weekly, an e-newsletter keeping you apprised of the latest developments in the telecommunications and high-tech industries.
FCC Policy
The Tentative Agenda for the FCC Open Meeting scheduled for January 27, 2022, contains eight items, including a Report and Order stating that Tribal libraries are eligible for E-Rate support and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes mandatory disclosures for broadband providers at point of sale. For more information, please contact Stephanie Joyce.
Broadband News
In compliance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, NTIA has released its first annual Access Broadband Report. The Report provides a comprehensive overview of broadband funding that was provided in FY 2020, covering 55 broadband programs administered by 13 federal agencies, particularly the FCC and U.S. Department of Agriculture, but also the U.S. Department of Interior. The report states how much each federal program offers in broadband project funding, whether the funding is for broadband infrastructure or for digital inclusion projects, and the status of federal broadband mapping. It also documents the extent to which federal agencies are collaborating and sharing their broadband data in order to coordinate and track broadband project funding and to improve the accuracy of broadband mapping. For more information, please contact Doug Bonner.
NTIA is also seeking comment, pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, as to how it might best administer the $65 Billion fund that Congress allotted for broadband investment and deployment. The Request for Comment, published today in the Federal Register, sets forth several areas for comment, including not only the issues of accountability and transparency but also how the fund can be used to “create high quality jobs for all Americans.” Comments are due February 4, 2022, by 5:00pm ET and can be e-filed at https://www.regulations.gov/. For more information, please contact Stephanie Joyce.
FTC Items
The FTC has issued its Biennial Report to Congress on the National Do Not Call Registry. In the last two years, more than 244 Million consumers have placed their phone numbers on the list; in 2021, more than 5 Million Do Not Call complaints were filed. The most commonly reported scams regarded debt reduction, prescriptions, and medical care. For more information, please contact Stephanie Joyce.
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